How do you form lifelong habits of discipleship? Oliver Hersey explores this question with Dr. Paul Gutacker, Executive Director of the Brazos Fellows, a nine-month fellowship for college graduates in Waco, Texas who also also teaches history at Baylor University. They explore key habits of discipleship including theological training, spiritual disciplines, vocational discernment, and community life. When asked about the Brazos Fellows program, Paul said “There’s nothing magical about it. There’s nothing formulaic about it. Let’s commit to prayer together. Let’s share life together.” 

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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How can you find peace in a world that feeds on fear? Singer and songwriter, Josh Garrels reflects on ways to find peace with our host, Oliver Hersey and guest co-host, Kelsey Bowse. He created the album Peace To All Who Enter Here, with classic hymns and worship songs in quarantine. His role models for peace are St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan religious order and Wendell Berry, American poet and farmer. This is part two of a conversation with Josh on the Transforming Discipleship podcast.

He said “We can’t afford to let fear and anxiety take hold of us. So the weapons we’ve been given are praise and prayer. Those are the weapons we’ve been given, and renewing our minds in the faith, with the word. Those are the weapons we’ve been given to combat deep levels of fear and anxiety.” 

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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How do make peace a reality in your life? Singer and songwriter, Josh Garrels reflects on the idea of peace with Host, Oliver Hersey and guest co-host, Kelsey Bowse. He created the album Peace To All Who Enter Here, with classic hymns and worship songs in quarantine. Lately, he's found peace in obscure places: in a car on a morning drive, in his garage recording simple hymns, journaling on week days, or taking walks out in nature.

Josh said “I didn’t set out to make an album which is important. I had been feeling before this pandemic ever hit. I really felt the Lord telling me to not tour. His words were strong – ‘don’t tour anymore.' ”

Josh Garrels doesn't easily fit into a category for Christian musicians. He often bridges a gap between the sacred and the secular. John Burnett, an NPR reporter said “He's been courted repeatedly by what's known as CCM — the contemporary Christian music industry — and he always declines.” 

He also talks about his family’s plans to relocate, and the path which led them to an old farm house in Michigan. Part of what inspired this move was a deep desire for “meaningful occupation,” or life-giving soul work.

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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How can you love your neighbor who is different than you? Oliver Hersey explores this question with Latasha Morrison, author of Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation, a New York Times best selling book. She is known for being a bridge builder, and is passionate about racial reconciliation. Latasha has equipped more than 1,000 groups in five different countries and is founder and president of Be the Bridge, an organization committed to educating people and organizations about how to respond to racial tensions in the world. She said "how can you say you love your brother when you're mistreating your brother? That form of Christianity is not Christianity."

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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How can small group leaders combat Zoom fatigue? Oliver Hersey explores that question with Ryan Hartwig, Courtney Davis and Jason Sniff, authors of Leading Small Groups That Thrive: 5 Shift to Take Your Group to the Next Level. They gathered data from churches, to learn how much small groups impacted people's spiritual growth. Ryan offered creative solutions for how leaders can create a relaxed environment for online small groups this fall.

"Sometimes that means, let’s all turn off our videos. We don’t all need to be taking in visual cues from 15 other people, and look at yourself while you’re talking. That’s exhausting."

Jason indicated that the real purpose for small groups is documented in Ephesians 4:12-13 " to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood."

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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How do we bring our emotions before the Lord? In this episode, singer and songwriter Sandra McCracken explores that question with our host, Oliver Hersey. They talk about Psalm 89, the inspiration for her new single “I Will Sing,” from the album Patient Kingdom, slated to release in October, 2020.

The Psalms, and God’s steadfastness are resounding themes in Sandra’s creative work, and her walk with God. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri — where her mother Betty McCracken taught her to love scripture, and the Psalms.

Sandra said “I find that one of the practices that helps me to find that inner stillness is being out in the woods, or taking a walk or going somewhere in creation. I would love to live by an ocean. Seeing God’s power through creation is also a reminder of who he is.” Tune in for a fresh take on Psalm 89, and to hear her new single "I Will Sing."

You can also watch this interview on YouTube.

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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What role should worship and the Psalms play in discipleship? In this episode, singer and songwriter Sandra McCracken explores that question with our host, Oliver Hersey. They talk about her new album Patient Kingdom, slated to release in October, 2020. Her new single “I Will Sing,” is based on Psalm 89 which Sandra wrote with Leslie Jordan, who also co-wrote the song “Steadfast” from God’s Highway.

The Psalms, and God’s steadfastness are resounding themes in Sandra’s creative work, and her walk with God. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri — where her mother Betty McCracken taught her to love scripture, and the Psalms.

Sandra said “I had the great gift of a mother who shared scripture with me when I was a little girl. And she had become a Christian just a few years before I was born, and had started following Jesus. So I remember probably from before I knew music, I knew these words of the Psalms. And she would write them on little index cards. I guess I would say it was already taking shape, and that it was more foundational than even learning the notes of a scale.”

You can also watch this interview on YouTube.

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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How can small groups facilitate spiritual growth? Oliver Hersey explores that question with Ryan Hartwig, Courtney Davis and Jason Sniff, authors of Leading Small Groups That Thrive: 5 Shift to Take Your Group to the Next Level.. They gathered data from churches, to learn how much small groups impacted people's spiritual growth. For example, small groups with a clearly defined purpose have more longevity. They also disprove common misconceptions about small groups: the ideal number of group members, and the secret to creating spaces to see people really grow and change. Courtney shares about her time in a small group that lacked enough substance to sustain the group. You'll walk away from this episode with a clear sense of how to define a purpose for your small group in 2020 and beyond.

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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How can ministry leaders create space for people to encounter Jesus? Oliver Hersey and Jeff Klein, outreach pastor from the Chicago area explore this question. It's all about people having memorable encounters with the person of Jesus. This helps pave the way for authentic spiritual growth in your family, ministry or church context. Jeff clears up misconceptions about discipleship. It's not a class, a formula, or even a set of moral doctrines or theology. He said "You can't follow someone if you don't even know the person you're following." We're inspired by 1 John 1:1 (ESV) "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—.”

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What does it mean to be a disciple on mission? Oliver Hersey and Jeff Klein, Pastor of Outreach at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church explore this question. Consider the triangle of discipleship which has three essential parts: up, in and out. Focusing "in" is often the easiest part of discipleship. But we have to go "out" in the world, to be on mission for Jesus. In this episode, Jeff talks about his church incorporates outreach into their gatherings, every 30 days. He said "Jesus was concerned about two groups of people, the lost and the least." Healing the world might be as simple as walking across the drive way to talk to your neighbor, or it might mean helping a homeless person find a place to live. We're inspired by John 20:21 (ESV) "Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

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